The department prohibits officers from inquiring about the immigration
status of suspects, a policy strongly supported by Police Chief William
Bratton and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The lawsuit was brought on behalf of unidentified police officers who
are afraid to speak out but argue the policy creates a situation where
the same illegal immigrants are repeatedly arrested when they could have
been deported, lawyer David Klehm said.

"Everyone I spoke to told me their hands were tied with this policy,"
Klehm said.

The lawsuit relies on a section of the state's Health and Safety Code
that states that in drug cases involving a non-citizen, "the arresting
agency shall notify the appropriate agency of the United States having
charge of deportation."

Los Angeles police officers do not ask about immigration status while
interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects, and do not arrest people
based on immigration status.

Officers do involve immigration officials if a suspect is a gang member
who has been previously deported or if a suspect is arrested for a felony
or multiple misdemeanors.

Bratton has argued that the police department does not have the resources
to work as immigration agents.

Klehm, an anti-illegal immigration activist based in Orange County, filed
a similar lawsuit against the San Jose Police Department a few weeks ago.